The invention relates to controllers for cable television systems. More particularly, the invention relates to programmable controllers for cable television systems.
Cable television companies currently provide viewers 70 or more channels of programming from which to choose. Current cable television provides an hourly programming schedule over a pre-defined cable channel. This programming schedule is a passive display that contains all possible programming and allows no interaction or control by the viewer. In the near future, cable companies are planning to implement technology that may boost the number of available channels to 500 or more. As the number of channels available on cable systems grows, viewers will be overloaded with information on hundreds of possible programs to view. Additionally, as the availability of programming choices increases, the amount of viewing time expended by viewers will likely increase as well.
Recently, features have been provided in the cable controller to help reduce the amount of viewing time of undesirable programming, particularly by children. Such features are typically mechanical or electrical lockouts that either entirely prevent viewing or permit viewing only upon providing a password. However, such systems operate only by direct intervention and do not operate automatically. Thus, they only limit viewing by establishing an "on" or "off" display state for time cable channel. Further, such features do not act to limit the amount of viewing time of a particular channel.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need in the art for a cable controller that assists the viewer in limiting the selection and viewing of cable television programming.